What Is Marxism?

The video begins with an introduction to classical Marxism, highlighting the focus on the original theories developed by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. It emphasizes the importance of understanding their work, particularly Marx's first major writing, the Economic and Philosophical Manuscripts of 1844. The video aims to clarify misconceptions about Marxism by discussing Marx's concept of private property, which is not land ownership but the broader sense of the products of labor. It also contrasts Marx's ideas with those of John Locke, who argued for the protection of private property rights.

This paragraph delves into Marx's concept of alienated labor, where industrial workers do not have ownership over the products of their labor, leading to a loss of meaning and fulfillment in their work. Marx criticizes the division of labor in industrial capitalism, which turns workers into mere cogs in the machine, devoid of agency and creativity. He argues that this system exploits workers by paying them less than the value they create, resulting in surplus value for the business owners or bourgeoisie. The paragraph also touches on the poor working conditions of the time, which further exacerbated the exploitation and suffering of the proletariat.

The third paragraph discusses the antagonistic relationship between the bourgeoisie, who accumulate property, and the proletariat, who do not. Marx views this dynamic as inherently exploitative, with the bourgeoisie wielding power over the property-less workers. He asserts that the bourgeoisie aims to pay workers as little as possible to maximize profits, leading to the extraction of surplus value. Marx's critique extends to the lack of government intervention in workplace regulations, contributing to the oppression of workers. He predicts that the increasing wealth disparity will lead to societal rearrangement and the abolition of private property in favor of a communist society.

This section highlights Marx and Engels's scientific approach to socialism, distinguishing it from the utopian socialism of their contemporaries. They aimed to ground their theories in logic and empirical evidence, rather than morality or wishful thinking. However, it's noted that Marx and Engels were not entirely objective, as their work was influenced by their political activism and desire for the overthrow of capitalist society. The paragraph introduces their method of historical materialism, which combines materialism (people as products of their environment) and historicism (explaining social phenomena historically), and emphasizes the role of class conflict in shaping society.

Marx's theory of historical materialism is explored, which seeks to explain the progression of human society through the lens of materialism, economics, and class conflict. The paragraph outlines the trajectory of history from feudalism to industrial capitalism, and predicts the self-destruction of capitalism due to increasing wealth concentration and exploitation. Marx envisions a revolution by the proletariat, leading to the establishment of a communist society without class conflict. The video also briefly touches on Marx's economic theories, which are considered less relevant in modern economics.

The paragraph discusses Marx and Engels's vision of a communist society after the anticipated revolution. They propose a society where the proletariat, as a unified class, would control industry and production for the common good, replacing competition with cooperation. Private property and inheritance would be abolished, and all members of society would have an equal say in production and distribution. The society would be educated and housed publicly, and work would be shared according to ability and needs. Marx outlines two stages of communist society, with the second stage characterized by abundance and the principle 'from each according to his ability, to each according to his needs.'

The final paragraph addresses the global ambition of Marx and Engels for the spread of communism and clarifies the nature of the Marxist society they advocated. It emphasizes that Marxist society is engineered to eliminate class inequality through a network of constraints, including the abolition of private property, inheritance, and certain forms of education. The paragraph also highlights that the society described by Marx and Engels is totalitarian, with the proletariat imposing their will on society through a one-party system. It contrasts this with modern capitalism, which has evolved away from Marx's predictions, and concludes by framing Marxism as both the beliefs of Marx and the actions of Marxists, allowing for interpretation and adaptation over time.